***Release Visuals and Audio’ Evidence
There seem to be no end in sight for the faceoff between the Kogi State government and Alhaji Aliko Dangote as the state has threatened to release visuals and audio of a purported clandestine meeting to show the mindset and modus operandi of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his conglomerate.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo in a statement on Saturday, said the government is in possession of a 28-minute WhatsApp call recording of what he described as satanic resolutions reached by officials of the Dangote Group during a meeting they held on Friday night to cause chaos in the state.
Fanwo said they have uncovered an alleged plot by the Dangote Group to launch mayhem across the state, by attacking government officials and also “obliterate” documents containing agreements between the government and the group of company.
Fanwo alleged that the company officials resolved to initiate both civil and criminal proceedings against certain government officials, block all the major highways across the state with their trucks to cage Governor Yahaya Bello by making it impossible for him to move out of the state capital.
Explaining further he said Dangote also plans to use the Department of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies to arrest top government officials on frivolous charges
“They also plan to use the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to arrest some government officials in order to cow them and to also use the media to promote falsehood against the government and people of Kogi State.
“We are a people that cannot be destroyed by the whims and caprices of the capitalist dominance that the Dangote Group stands for.
“We wish to inform the people of Kogi State that the State Government will stop at nothing legal to defend their rights to movement and safety.
“We will take steps that are legal to resist the act of cowardice of the Dangote Group to harass, intimidate or harm the people of Kogi State for demanding their rights,” he said.
He called on security agencies to be on red alert to forestall any breakdown of law and order, and warned Dangote Group that Kogi State will not condone any act of lawlessness.
“It is our wish to ensure the agitation to reclaim our equity at Obajana is non-violent as we have all that is required to win the battle. Security agencies should resist the temptation of being used by the Dangote Group to harass officials of Government and our people as hatched at the ill-fated meeting.”